Morphometrics highlights subspecies differentiation of continental (Rangifer t. tarandus) and insular (Rangifer t. platyrhynchus) Norwegian reindeer

Abstract

Abstract Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is an emblematic species with several recognized subspecies. Two reindeer subspecies are present in Norway: the wild and semi-domestic European tundra reindeer (R. tarandus tarandus) in continental Norway, and Svalbard reindeer (R. tarandus platyrhynchus) endemic to this archipelago. The main aim of this paper is to give a descriptive and quantified analysis of the modern wild reindeer morphological diversity. The morphometric variation was quantified, based on 262 adult specimens of both sexes, by both linear measurements, analysed through log shape ratio computed from post-cranial bones and teeth measurements, and landmarks and sliding semi-landmarks based geometric morphometrics (GMM) to quantify molars size and shape. All anatomical parts (teeth, metatarsals, metacarpals) highlighted differences between the continental and insular subspecies. Our main results pointed out morphometrics characteristics of nowadays reindeer subspecies, like differences in proportions between the size of metapodials or lower cheek teeth with the body size, that could be of great interest for archaeozoological research.